Thorpe Urged Police To Investigate, Jury Told (Press, 2 June 1979)

On 2 June 1979, the ongoing trial of former Liberal leader Jeremy Thorpe continued in London, where serious allegations against him were being examined. During cross-examination, Mr George Carman, representing Thorpe, brought to light that in 1971, Thorpe had requested an investigation into accusations made by Norman Scott, who claimed a homosexual relationship with the politician. The requests were directed to the Home Secretary and the London Metropolitan Police Commissioner, which raised questions about the investigative actions taken at that time. Carman questioned Detective Chief Superintendent Proven Sharpe, head of the Devon and Cornwall Criminal Investigation Department, regarding whether the police had followed up on Thorpe's requests to probe the claims. Sharpe admitted he was unaware of any such requests and acknowledged that he had not taken steps to verify them. Carman asserted that Thorpe had also asked then Home Secretary Reginald Maudling to investigate the allegations; however, Sharpe confirmed he had no knowledge of that either. The trial, now in its seventeenth day, is centred around Thorpe, his close friend David Holmes, and two businessmen, John le Mesurier and George Deakin, all of whom have pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to murder Scott. Thorpe has additionally denied charges of attempting to persuade Holmes to kill Scott, whom the Crown alleges posed a threat to Thorpe's political career due to his accusations. The court heard details from Thorpe’s statement made during a police interview on 8 February 1976. In this statement, Thorpe indicated he was aware of the serious allegations from Scott and that previous investigations had already been conducted by senior colleagues, Scotland Yard, and the Home Secretary in 1971. He claimed there was nothing new in Scott's allegations. Thorpe refuted any knowledge regarding an alleged £2500 payment for letters and denied ever having met Andrew Newton, who had already testified to being hired to kill Scott. Sharpe testified that he and Chief Inspector Brian McCreery had interviewed Thorpe as part of the inquiry that followed the shooting of Scott's dog on 24 October 1975. During this interview, Thorpe provided a statement, which was heavily amended, and was ultimately also regarded as a draft before submission. The ongoing trial brings significant public and media attention to the allegations and the political implications for Thorpe, capturing a moment in British legal history where the intersection of politics and personal life is under scrutiny.

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